2025 Cy Young Odds: Wheeler Emerges as NL Favorite

Zack Wheeler has jumped over Paul Skenes in the NL Cy Young odds, and it's not simply due to a better win-loss record (which is out of Skenes' hands, anyway).

Jason Wilson - Betting Analyst at Covers.com
Jason Wilson • Betting Analyst
Jul 15, 2025 • 10:22 ET • 5 min read
Zack Wheeler Philadelphia Phillies MLB
Photo By - IMAGN Images. Steady Phillies ace Zack Wheeler has leapt into the NL Cy Young odds lead

Paul Skenes has been the National League Cy Young favorite for much of the season, but he's no longer in the driver's seat as Zack Wheeler has simply found another gear on the mound.

Let's look at the latest MLB odds for each Cy Young race.

Odds to win AL Cy Young award 2025

Player DraftKings FanDuel bet365
Tigers Tarik Skubal -200 -210 -190
Red Sox Garrett Crochet  +240 +260 +250
Rangers Jacob deGrom +900 +850 +900
Astros Hunter Brown +1100 +1200 +1200
Yankees Max Fried +2500 +2500 +2500
Astros Framber Valdez  +4500 +5500 +5000
Twins Joe Ryan  +7500 +9000 +8000
Royals Kris Bubic  +7500 +9000 +8000
Rangers Nathan Eovaldi +7500 +4200 +5000
Mariners Bryan Woo +9000 +9000 +10000
Yankees Carlos Rodon +10000 +11000 +10000

Odds last updated on 7-15.

AL Cy Young odds analysis

Tarik Skubal may well have this race in hand, but we can't count Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet out just yet. The southpaw enters the All-Star break off his best career start, mowing down the Tampa Bay Rays over nine shutout innings for his first complete game. 

He didn't issue a walk and needed exactly 100 pitches to finish the 1-0 victory. He is now 10-4 with a 2.23 ERA, while Skubal's line is virtually identical at 10-3 and 2.23, as well. Skubal has slightly better strikeout and walk rates, but this might be more neck-and-neck than the odds suggest.

Odds to win NL Cy Young award 2025

Player DraftKings FanDuel bet365
Phillies Zack Wheeler -125 -125 -125
Pirates Paul Skenes -105 -105 +100
Phillies Cristopher Sanchez   +2000 +2000 +2000
Giants Logan Webb +3000 +3500 +3300
Phillies Ranger Suárez  +5000 +3500 +4000
Nationals MacKenzie Gore +5000 +8000 +7000
Dodgers Yoshinobu Yamamoto +5500 +8000 +6500
Giants Robbie Ray  +6500 +6000 +6000
Reds Andrew Abbott  +7000 +6000 +6500
Brewers Freddy Peralta +8000 +8000 +8000
Phillies Jesus Luzardo +9000 +15000 +12500

Odds last updated on 7-15.

NL Cy Young analysis

Despite Paul Skenes dominating for much of the first half, he is no longer the betting favorite to win the NL Cy Young. Philadelphia Phillies ace Zack Wheeler has leapfrogged him, though the margin is slim.

Skenes holds the statistical edge in ERA (2.01 to 2.36) and FanGraphs WAR (4.0 to 3.7) but Wheeler has better strikeout (33% to 27.9%) and walk rates (5.6% to 6.4%). So, it's not merely an old-school mentality propping Wheeler up simply because his 9-3 record is better than Skenes' unsightly 4-8 one (which is utterly damning of the whole Pittsburgh Pirates front office).

Skenes has also seen a dip in his workload of late, completing no more than five innings in four straight and five of six. He's still been largely excellent in this span, a rare four-run blip vs. the Brewers notwithstanding. It's just that Wheeler seems to be finding his groove at the right time.

While Wheeler ended his first half with a rocky outing vs. the Padres, allowing four runs on six hits, including a pair of homers, he has finished six innings in four straight and in 16 of his 19 total starts. While he's thrown just one more inning than Skenes on the season, he's also done it in one fewer start.


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Cy Young betting splits

AL Cy Young betting splits

Highest Ticket%

  • Tarik Skubal, Tigers - 11.8%
  • Max Fried, Yankees - 11.1%
  • Garrett Crochet, Red Sox - 9.6%

Highest Handle%

  • Tarik Skubal, Tigers - 23.6%
  • Max Fried, Yankees - 13.5%
  • Garrett Crochet, Red Sox - 9.2%

Biggest Liability

  • Max Fried, Yankees

NL Cy Young betting splits

Highest Ticket%

  • Zack Wheeler, Phillies - 13.1%
  • Paul Skenes, Pirates - 10.6%
  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers - 8%

Highest Handle%

  • Paul Skenes, Pirates - 26.8%
  • Zack Wheeler, Phillies - 19.5%
  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers - 9.8%

Biggest Liability

  • Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers

Data courtesy of BetMGM.

Previous Cy Young Award winners

Here are the last 10 winners of the AL and NL Cy Young Award, with Cleveland and the New York Mets each leading the way with three. Overall, the Brooklyn/Los Angeles Dodgers have the most Cy Youngs all time (12), followed by the Milwaukee/Atlanta Braves with eight and the Philadelphia Phillies, Boston Red Sox, and Mets with seven apiece.

Previous AL Cy Young winners

Year American League Winner
2024 Tigers Tarik Skubal
2023 Yankees Gerrit Cole
2022 Astros Justin Verlander
2021 Blue Jays Robbie Ray
2020 Guardians Shane Bieber
2019 Astros Justin Verlander
2018 Rays Blake Snell
2017 Guardians Corey Kluber
2016 Red Sox Rick Porcello
2015 Astros Dallas Keuchel

Previous NL Cy Young winners

Year National League Winner
2024 Braves Chris Sale
2023 Padres Blake Snell
2022 MarlinsSandy Alcantara
2021 Brewers Corbin Burnes
2020 Reds Trevor Bauer
2019 Mets Jacob deGrom
2018 Mets Jacob deGrom 
2017 Nationals Max Scherzer
2016 Nationals Max Scherzer
2015 Cubs Jake Arrieta

Pitchers with multiple Cy Young awards

Twenty-two pitchers have won multiple Cy Young Awards, led by Roger Clemens' seven trophies. Of those 22 winners, five are still active in the majors.

Pitcher Number of Cy Young Awards (Years)
Roger Clemens 7 (1986, 1987, 1991, 1997, 1998, 2001, 2004)
Randy Johnson 5 (1995, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
Steve Carlton 4 (1972, 1977, 1980, 1982
Greg Maddux 4 (1992, 1993, 1994, 1995)
Seven different pitchers 3
11 different pitchers 2


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Jason Wilson Covers.com
Betting Analyst

Jason Wilson is an experienced journalist who has worked in a variety of roles within the industry for the past 18 years. Working at community newspapers in New Brunswick, Jason wore many hats as a reporter, editor, and photographer, covering everything from sports to courts to municipal politics. After shifting gears and working as an educator for a few years in the 2010s, Jason returned to full-time work in media as an MLB news editor for six years at theScore in Toronto before joining Covers in late 2021.

He has honed his editorial acumen over his years in the industry, showcasing flexibility, patience, and a strong work ethic. While he was relatively new to sports betting upon joining Covers, Jason has taken the plunge with gusto to learn the ins and outs of the industry, both as a method to improve professionally and to add an extra angle to his sports fandom.

In addition to sports, Jason is an avid film nut and former movie critic who monitors the Academy Awards betting odds for Covers. Jason holds a Bachelor of Arts in journalism degree and a Bachelor of Education degree from St. Thomas University.

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